Christmas for Jack
by messersmontana
Summary: Jack and Hotch's first Christmas after Haley was killed.


Christmas for Jack

This is my first attempt at writing a Criminal Minds story. I am going to try my hand at it for Jack and for Christmas. This will be his first Christmas without Haley and I think that the team can help him get through it.

I don't even want to try and hope that I could own this show. I'm too afraid of a certain someone if I messed it up. And she knows who she is....lol

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Hotch woke up and it took him a moment to remember that today was Christmas and it would be the first one for Jack since Haley died. He was still having a tough time getting through each day since Foyet had killed her. Jack seemed to be stronger than he was through all of this. That, or her was hiding it well.

Hotch got out of bed and put on his robe before he left his room to go and see if Jack was awake. He quietly opened his door and peeked inside to see that he was still asleep. He closed the door and moved back into the living room.

It was then that Hotch noticed all of the gifts under the tree. He knew that he didn't put them there and that they weren't there when he and Jack had gone to bed the night before. He walked over to look under the tree and saw many gifts labeled to jack from Santa Claus. He recognized the different handwriting, his team.

The tears started to fill his eyes and he sat hard on the floor in front of the tree. They all knew that he wasn't coping in all of this and still they took care of him. He was trying to pull himself together when he noticed the letter sitting on one of the branches of the tree. He picked it up and opened it.

_Hotch,_

_Merry Christmas to you and Jack. We're all thinking of you both today and wanted to do this for you. Don't even try to analyze this, we did it out of friendship and love. Come up to Rossi's cabin later with Jack for dinner. He's invited all of us there tonight. Let us in and help you and Jack heal. _

_Emily, and the rest of your family._

He couldn't stop the tear from falling this time. It was the perfect thing to say and he was now open to grieve for his ex-wife. He would always have a part of her with him because of Jack, but he'd lost her a long time before she was killed. Leave it to Emily to say the right thing at the right time. He'd have to remember to pull her aside later and thanks her for the letter. He was sure that no one knew about it.

Hotch heard Jack stir in the other room and quickly wiped his eyes and put the letter in his pocket. It was one letter he'd keep forever. He put on a cheerful face and turned to greet his son as she bounced out of the bedroom and saw the gifts under the tree. His eyes got huge and the smile grew as he realized that Santa had come while he was asleep.

Hotch picked his son up and hugged him. "Merry Christmas Jack, look what Santa brought for you while you were asleep." He said as she sat on the floor with his son in his lap. He was still sad that Haley wasn't here to spend Christmas with Jack, and he'd miss her too, but he also knew that he could finally move on with his life and he and Jack would heal. He also knew that his friends, no his family would be there for them both and tonight would be the start of that healing process.

Jack got excited and crawled out of his arms and grabbed the first gift he could reach. And for the first time in a long time, Hotch could smile again.

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A/N Okay, there is my first Criminal Minds story. I am not sure if I am ready to start a shippy story at the moment, I think that Hotch and Jack are still too raw with the death of Haley to move on just yet. And I really think that Emily will be right there for him when he or should I say they are ready. I dedicate this story to my good friend Cassie, who has put up with my questions and helped me get through a lot of my writer's block. How did I do on my first CM story Cassie?

Once again, Merry Christmas to all of you and please be safe if you are traveling.


End file.
